Means for making paper boxes and the like



May 1,. 1934 s. BERGSTEIN MEANS FOR MAKING PAPER BOXES AND THE LIKE 3Sheets-Shee t 1 Filed May 51, 1928 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEK y 1934- s. BERGSTIEIN 1,956,820

MEANS FOR MAKING PAPER BOXES AND THE LIKE Filed May 31, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' IN VENT OR "i /II ATTORNEY y 1934- s. BERGSTEIN 1,956,820

' MEANS FOR MAKING PAPER BOXES AND THE LIKE Filed May 31, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet s [I Illlllll A TTORNEY Patented May 1, 1934 UNITED STATES MEANS FOR MAKING PAPER BOXES AND THELIKE Samuel Bergstein, Middletown, Ohio, assignor to I The Interstate Folding Box Company, Middletown, Ohio Application May 31, 1928, Serial No. 282,019

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in means and method for making paper boxes, having particular reference to new practice in applying the adhesive element, for forming the box 5 joints and for sealing the boxes, to the paper sheets from which the box blanks are cut, or to the blanks after the same are cut from the sheets, in preparing the blanks for box stock.

The improvements are a further development of the invention set forth in my copending application for patent Serial No. 86,347, filed February 5, 1926. v

So far as the prior art has been disclosed in my copending application for patent and so far as I am aware in the commercial art, it is new practice in paper box manufacturing to so prepare box stock with adhesive in advance of assembling the boxes. With the new practice which has attained extensive commercial use new types of box making machines and new service relations between the manufacturer of paper boxes and paper box material and the users of such material have been evolvedwith resulting decrease in the cost of production of the box stock; .in improvement of the quality of the product, and in general commercial advantages from the viewpoint of stocking and time and labor costs in assembling the boxes. The objects attained in the improvements of the new practice herein set forth consist in a simplified machine for supplying the adhesive to the paper sheets or box blanks and in a novel method or process for more effectively applying the adhesive to the box material and for confining it closely to the surfaces which coact one with another for forming and sealing the boxes,

the improved practice consisting in spreading the adhesive evenly over forms which conform in shape and surface area to the joining surfaces 0 of the material, and in transferring the adhesive from the forms to the joining surfaces before any material change takes place in the consistency of the adhesive.

In quick drying adhesive such as is universally used in the common practice of manufacturing glued paper boxes and like products, the'glue tends to set or congeal before it can be evenly distributed on the paper and it also accumulates and hardens on the peripheries of the rollers or surfaces which transfer it to the paper which results in uneven distribution of the glue, also the glue spreads excessively beyond the prescribed surfaces of the material for receiving it.

Thus in effecting application of the adhesive to the material evenly and confining the same substantially to the exact surfaces which are joined together in forming and sealing the boxes which has been attained in high degree in the improvements herein set forth, an invention of outstanding merit has been accomplished, as the main problem in manufacturing glued paper boxes relates to the application of the adhesive to the material, uniformity of distribution within prescribed areas of the material and at the required consistency of the adhesive being prao- 55 tically impossible under the methods of common practice.

While the invention as herein shown and described relates to the art of making glued paper boxes and similar products, the principle of the invention has a wider application and is adaptable in modified forms for other uses, as in applying quick drying varnish to paper or other sheet materials which is an extensive practice associated with the paper box industry.

In the accompanying drawings which serve for illustrating the invention, two forms of machines are shown for applying the adhesive to the box material, the underlying principle of the me-' chanical means employed and the method or process associated therewith for practicing the invention being substantially thesame in both types of -machines.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a detail of the improved machine in one form;

Fig. 2-fsa view in side elevation of the machine in a modified construction;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the gearing for operating the impression table of the machine;

Figs. i and 4aare plan views of the sion table;

' Fig. 5 is a view illustrating representative box blanks adapted to be glued on the. machine.

In a preferred form of apparatus for practicing impresthe invention, as shown in Fig. 1, the structure g of. the glue applying machine consists of a frame 1 including opposite bearing standards 2 in which a roller or cylinder 3 for feeding the paper sheets or box blanks is supported on a shaft 4. A horizontally disposed table 5, indicated in dotted outline, is operable reciprocally longitudinally of the machine and coacts with cylinder 3 for applying the. glue to the box material. Operation of the table may be effected by any suitable means, as by rack and gear mechanism 6-7, 89, best shown in Fig. 3, which is of well-known construction in printing presses, this part of the machine being shown more or less conventionally for illustrating the complete structure. The cylinder 3 and table 5 are operably timed one with the other for effecting a complete reciprocation of the table to two rotations of the cylinder which acts, upon regular feeding of the box material, to place a sheet of box material, or a box blank on the table upon each alternate rotation of the cylinder, the operation of the machine in this respect being the same as that of a printing press. I

Supported upon the upper face of table 5 as shown in Figs. 4-41: are a plurality of forms of adhesive transferring faces a-b, which may be of any suitable shape and size, and located accurately and variably one relative to another longitudinally and transversely of the table for receiving the application of adhesive and transfer- .ring the same to the box material.

The mechanism for applying the adhesive to the forms a-b consists of a container 11, supported on brackets 12 extended upward from frame 1, in which a supply of the adhesive substance, glue, paste or cement, is maintained in suitable amount and of the desired consistency to meet the requirements of the machine. An electrical coil or other suitable means (not shown) for heating the container being used for maintaining the adhesive at the desired temperature.

A roller 13 supported in opposite bearings 14 in the end walls of container 11 is partially submerged in the adhesive and. serves for transferring the same to a rotatable brush 15 which dis-- tributes it on the forms 11-12 from which it is deposited on the box material as the sheets or blanks move between the feed roller 3 and table 5. 7

Operation of the gluing mechanism, as here shown, is effected by a chain and sprocket connection 16-17-18 between shaft 4 of feed roller 3 and the glue transfer roller 13 anda chain and sprocket connection 17-19-20 and gears 21-22 between shaft 4 and the distributing brush 15. For transferring the glue from roller 13 to forms a-b the distributing brush 15 operates reciprocally between the roller and the forms, the brush being supported by opposite rocker arms 23 secured to .a shaft 24 operable in bearings 25 on frame 1, the reciprocable movement of the brush being effected by a cam 26, a,link 27 connected to one of the arms 23 and a cam follower 28 interposed between the rod and the cam. The cam is operably connected to gear 9 by intermediate gears 29.

Gears 21-22 are constantly in mesh one with the other, thus continuous rotatable movement is imparted to the glue distributing brush, the reciprocable movement of the brush between the glue transfer roller 13 and the glue applying forms 11-?) being timed by means of the cam peripheries 26a-26b so that the brush will be in engagement with roller 13 and will be charged with glue therefrom during the interval that table 5 is moving from the front to the rear of the machine, the relation of cam 26 to roller 28 being then as shown in Fig. 1; during the interval that the table is passing under the brush on the return movement of the table, the flat face 26b of the cam will be in engagement with roller 28 and the brush will be in engagement with and will act to distribute the glue on the forms w-b. With the continued forward movement of the table as forms a-b pass from under the brush the cam periphery 26a will again move into engagement with roller 28 and the brush will be moved again into engagement with roller 13.

The action of brush 15 serves for evenly distributing the glue on the glue transferring forms, the direction of rotation of the brush being preferably, inverse to the direction-of movement of the forms as the application of glue thereto is being made, thus there is an effective brushing action over: the faces of the forms which acts to distribute the glue thereon so that each face will be evenly coated with glue and will act in turn, as table 5 moves into operable relation with feed roller 3 for receiving a sheet or blank of box material therefrom, to transfer an evenly distributed film or coating of glue to the under side of the material, over surfaces thereof conforming closely in size and shape to the forms from which the transfer of glue is made and in positions predetermined by the positions of the forms on table 5.

The brush being flexible compensates for any surface variations of glue roller 13 which will be caused by congealed glue adhering thereto; thus the brush will under normal conditions of operation be sufiiciently impregnated with glue from the roller for effecting even distribution of the same on the forms for transferring the glue to the box material, the flexibility of the brush serving also for spreading an even film of the glue over the faces of the forms, the transfer of the glue from the glue container to the forms and from the forms to the box material being accomplished in such short time that no material change in the consistency of the glue takes place before the deposit on the paper is made.

As herein stated the box material either in sheet or blank form is prepared for stock in advance ofthe requirement of the boxes for use. Thus it is essential that the glue should be sufliciently dried or hardened before the sheets are gathered in bulk so .that the sheets will not adhere one to another. To this end any suitable means may be employed for drying the glue before the sheets are stacked in superposed relation. A suitable apparatus for drying the material after it has receivedthe application of glue is shown in Fig. 1, operably associated with the gluing machine. The structure consists of an endless carrier 30 provided with a series of evenly spaced, outwardly exterided racks 31 and operable in a step-by-step movement over opposite drums 32-33 which may be supported in any suitable frame structure (not shown), the essential requirement being the spacing between the drurns'to provide the necessary time in the upper course of travel of the carrier for drying" the sheets. i

The step-by-step operation of carrier 30 is effected by means of a pawl and ratchet mechanism consisting of a yoke or sleeve-34 operable reciprocally on the shaft of drum 32 having oppositely extended arms 35 supporting pawls 36 coacting with a ratchet gear 37 which is secured to drum 32. The driving action of the drum is accomplished by a rod 39 supported in a bracket 40 secured to the table 5, which engages the upper arm- 35 of the yoke 34 in the latter part of the forward movement of the table and acts to move drum 32 one step, being the required operation for moving the. carrier 30 to move one of the racks 31 out of position for receiving a sheet of box material from table 5 and for moving the following rack into position for receiving the following sheet therefrom. The rod 39 is adjustable by means of a sleeve 41 for regulating the operation of drum 32 according to the spacing of racks 31, the idle movement of the ratchet mechanism 3437 being effected by a spring 38.

The sheets or blanks of'paper material are delivered from the feeding roller 3 over a carrier belt 42 operable in an inclined plane over pulleys 43.

The modified construction of the machine illustrated conventionally in Fig. 2 consists of an impression cylinder 44 to which the paper sheets or box blanks are'fed from a table 45, the material passing between the cylinder and a cylinder 46 which has one or more dies or impression surfaces 47 supported on its periphery for transferring a deposit of glue from a brush 48 to the paper moving over cylinder 44, the brush being operably connected to the cylinder 44 by a pivoted arm 49 and an eccentric cam 50 on the cylinder shaft 51 which acts to impart a reciprocating action of the brush between a roller 52 operable in a glue container 53 and the cylinder 46.

From cylinder 44 the material passes over a transfer roller 54 to a carrier 55 traversing pulleys 56-57 and acting to deliver the material to the dryer (not shown in Fig. 2) as described in connection with Fig. 1.

The principle of the invention and the improved method or process of manufacturing stock for paper articles of the character contemplated in the commercial practice of the invention is essentially the same on the two types of machines illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and is believed to be broadly new in the art, the new practice consisting in spreading the adhesive element evenly on forms conforming in outline and face area to the surface of the paper material to be supplied with adhesive and in transferring the adhesive from the forms to the paper before the consistency of the adhesive materially changes, and then permitting the adhesive to dry before the material is accumulated in bulk for stock.

The new practice makes possible low-cost production of box stock beyond the possibilities of the heretofore common practice in paper box manufacturing; and also low-cost production in assembling the boxes as cheaper and faster machines may be employed for assembling the prepared box stock, the preferred new practice being for the user of the boxes to carry a stock of the prepared box blanks and to assemble the same in his own establishment as the boxes are required for use, in contrast to the old common practice of carrying a stock of assembled boxes. The new practice is more fiexible to the conditions of the requirements, is materially lower in cost, and with all enables the production of a better constructed box by reason of the improved method of applying the adhesive.

It will be apparent that the forms for transferring the adhesive to the paper may be of any shape or design, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 4a,

. the forms a shown in Fig. 4 serving for applyin Fig. 5.

ing adhesive to box blanks of one style illustrated Theforms --b shown in Fig. 4a illustrate the wide diversity of design forms that may be used n practicing the invention, as in the application of labels, or ornamental figures to paper or other materals.

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine for making paper box stock in cluding a form operable reciprocally for receiving the box material and having a face conforming to a porton thereof for forming a joining surface, a container for adhesive, means disposed between the container and said form and including a roller rotatable opposite to the direction of movement of the box materal for transferring adhesive to said face and spreading the same over said face, and means for moving the box material over said face for effecting transfer of the adhesive to said portions thereof.

2. A machine for making paper box stock including a form having a face conforming to a portion of the box material for forming a joining surface, a contained for adhesive, roller operable in the adhesive, a brush operable constantly rotatably and intermittently reciprocally between the roller and said form for transferring adhesive from the roller to said face, and means for moving the box material over said face for effecting transfer of the adhesive to said portions thereof.

3. A machine for making paper board blanks having a plurality of spaced joining surfaces,

feeding mechanism for the blanks, a member 00- acting with the feeding mechanism including a corresponding plurality of spaced formed contact surfaces means whereby said form surfaces are brought into register with said joining surfaces of the blanks and means operable counter to the direction of feeding movement of said feeding mechanism for spreading and coating the contact surfaces with adhesive before contact is made thereby with the blanks.

4. A machine for making paper board blanks having a plurality of spaced joining surfaces, feeding mechanism for the blanks, adhesive applying mechanism, a member operable reciprocally between the feeding mechanism and the adhesive applying mechanism including a corresponding plurality of contact surfaces which are coated with adhesive in the movement of said member, means whereby said surfaces are brought into register with said joining surfaces of the blanks for apply adhesive thereto, said adhesive applying mechanism rotatable in a direction counter to the reciprocating feeding movement of said member.

5. A machine for making paper box stock including a feed roller for box material, a table operable reciprocally relative to the feed roller for receiving the material therefrom, a form on the table having a face conforming to a portion of the box material for forming a joining surface, a container for adhesive, a roller partially immersed in the adhesive and operably connected to the feed roller, a rotatable brush operably connected to the feed roller and operable reciprocally between said roller and said form for applying adhesive to said face, and means effecting pressure between the feed roller and said form for transferring the adhesive from said face to said portions of the box material.

SAMUEL BERGSTEIN. 

